Next bigger/next smaller - Applying it to another class's project

Instead of using an object, I chose to apply this concept to an elevator speech project from Sophomore Seminar and document the process from idea to finish.

What goes into an elevator speech can be very broad, but the goal of this project specifically was to pitch myself as an artist and briefly summarize my work. It's very similar to an artist statement, so that's where I began. Before writing anything, I compiled all of my previous artist statements for reference. These ended up going all the way back to 2012, so having them in one place helped see changes in writing and other differences in content. I found that my overall goal stayed the same, but my concept took different routes of explanation constantly. There were subtle similarities, but with each iteration I found that my work became about something more and more specific.

After reviewing these artist statements, I moved into brainstorming. There are usually a lot of different ways I do this in terms of writing, but this time around I wrote in a stream of consciousness whatever came to my mind. Later this list of phrases and words worked its way into a draft, and after finishing that I edited it into a final product.

Final Speech:

"My name is Patty Rodriguez, and I am an illustration major at MCAD seeking a focus in design and visual development. My work mainly involves storytelling through various concepts and tying them into a single or series of illustrations. This work is heavily inspired by mythology and fantasy elements combined with digital media, including inspiration from a many different digital artists such as Claire Hummel, Jen Zee, and James Jean, as well as my history deeply rooted in video games and its ever-rising popularity in industry & artistic culture.

I do think my work, as a result of varying inspiration, has taken both graphic and conceptual qualities. There is a side of my work that is chiefly design, with minimal thematic impact and a major focus on the visuals of the final product. And then there’s a side of my work that reflects my passion for video game culture and its rich fantasy settings, which ultimately adapts some themes especially relevant to me and my life including but not limited to grief, ephemerality, and purpose. I believe exaggerating certain aspects of life and humanity through fantasy reveal to us how truly important and necessary those fantastical moments are in the course of our lives. My goal is to make a combination of those two sides of my work and create something far more impactful, and someday contribute back to the video game industry that raised me and my work."